User blog:BeastMan14/Review: "Apostle" Is A Brutal, Refreshing Take on the Horror Genre
As Gareth Evans's first non-Indonesian film, there's a lot of interest to see if Apostle could be a success despite being so far out of his wheelhouse. And with little effort, it does. Swapping frenetic action for creeping horror and focusing on more disturbing imagery and subtle performances, Apostle isn't a film for the squeamish, but those who stick with it will be rewarded with a creepy film experience like few this year. The Cast A horror film such as this relies heavily on the characters, and every member of the ensemble sells their roles very well, despite how much (or little) we know about their histories or motivation. As the sullen man on a mission, Dan Stevens is excellent, portraying an antihero who has survived crippling trauma with little more than posture and expression, and the few peeks of rare humanity and terror serve to flesh him out as a likable lead thrust into a horrifying situation. Opposite him as the film's apparent antagonist is Micheal Sheen's Malcolm Howe, a cult leader whose charisma is slowly undercut by moments of doubt, with Sheen doing a great job of crafting a character as intimidating as he is ultimately pitiful, which is helped by the contrasting performances of his top disciples Quinn, who Mark Lewis Jones turns into a dissonant, stoic fanatic that devours every scene he's in, and Paul Higgins's Frank, whose more subtle, quiet turn serves as the closest thing the cult has to a conscience as we understand just how horrifying it really is. The cult's inhabitants are also well-acted, enabling them to ascend from mere bit characters to feeling like fleshed out people. Protagonist of the film's B-plot, Bill Milner is scrappy and charming in the way Stevens isn't, even if his love interest Kristine Froseth is at times stiff in comparison, causing some of their scenes together to lack proper investment. As town doctor and daughter of Malcolm, Lucy Boynton is solid, even if her character never quite clicks in the same way the others do. Ultimately, it's a talented, well-rounded ensemble who generally does very well with what they're given, even if there isn't much to it. Score: 4 out of 5 The Story Apostle's greatest strength is it's constant shifting of horror genres, going from a mystery to a cult thriller to outright torture porn by it's finale, all while sprinkling moments of creeping dread, milking the film's tension for all it's worth until it finally explodes in a climax as violent as Evans's usual body of work. It's never a film that holds the audiences's hand, letting them slowly piece the mystery together at the same pace the characters do, and it makes the struggle worthwhile by taking time to let the audience understand what the characters are motivated by and working for. Granted, all the focus on characterization and story at points feels for naught as the third act begins somewhat abruptly and the film's intriguing "man undercover" elements are quickly discarded, but it never feels truly wasted or squandered, as the ending manages to bring the story to a fitting close while still leaving the audience questioning what exactly they just witnessed. Score: 4 out of 5 The Direction With his usual creative collaborators in tow, Evans easily transitions from action to horror as he applies more quiet, subtle work behind the camera for Apostle, with him and cinematographer Matt Flannery capturing both sweeping, haunting shots of the Welsh countryside and tense, up-close shots of the characters's faces as they struggle to deal with the madness of it all, while still managing to make the film's few action sequences feel fluid and (very) brutal. (A particular highlight is a knife fight near the end of the second act that feels desperate and fumbling in a way that feels vastly different from The Raid films.) Another highlight is the score of Fajar Yusekemal and Aria Prayogi, who use a variety of instruments to leave the audience at the edge of their seats at something as simple as a character walking through the village at night or as horrifying as a torture session. Score: 4.5 out of 5 Final Score Gareth Evans continues to prove himself as one of the best new directors working today as he gives us one of the strongest originals Netflix has ever produced and one of the best horror films in recent memory. Apostle is a well-made, well-acted film that refuses to pull punches and is much better for it, leaving you pondering it long after the credits have rolled. Score: 83% Potential Ballot Spots: *Best Picture (in a weaker year) *Best Director: Gareth Evans (in a weaker year) *Best Actor: Dan Stevens (in a weaker year) *Best Supporting Actor: Micheal Sheen *Best Cinematography *Best Original Score *Best Costume Design *Best Makeup and Hair Design Category:Blog posts